Page 22 of The Dalgur’s Pet

The leer sent wicked delight racing through her, electrifying her nerves. She shouldn’t enjoy the way he ogled her, as if he wanted to devour her, hurt her, yet it made her heart race, her muscles tighten with arousal.

When the door hissed open, she glanced wildly between them.

“Shouldn’t I put my clothes on?”

Probably a silly question for aliens who didn’t wear anything, but the thought of being paraded around in the nude made her sick to her stomach.

“You will not need them,” Vrix said with a smile, taking her hand and leading her to the open door.

Humidity covered them like a blanket as they stepped off the ship, exiting down a shining metal staircase which was somehow exactly what she’d expected from a UFO.

A robot greeted them, a humanoid assemblage that talked like it was an actual person and not a hunk of metal.

Giselle felt self-conscious, a flush burning her cheeks as she crossed her arms over her chest. The sun warmed her bare skin, the heat oppressive, but it was still strange to be naked.

At least there were no others ambling about, the large landing field empty save for the Starlet and the robot.

“I WILL BEGIN THE REFUELING PROCESS RIGHT AWAY. PLEASE ENJOY OUR RECREATION AREA WHILE YOU WAIT.”

Vrix and Thase glanced at each other with unsubtle smirks, and a shiver danced up her spine despite the humid air.

“Come along, pet,” Thase growled as he took her hand, pulling her into the jungle beyond.

The trees were enormous, long trunks stretching into the sky as a dense canopy covered them like a roof, blotting out the sun. Chittering calls came from all around, buzzes and hoots and croaks, winged insects that looked like brightly colored butterflies flitting about.

Were there predators in here like there were in the jungles on Earth? Were they in danger? Surely not with the casual way Thase and Vrix guided her through the forest.

Not when Thase and Vrix were predators themselves, despite the fact that they photosynthesized as opposed to eating meat.

After a short walk, they came upon a luminescent pool, almost hidden by an underbrush of yellow fern-like plants. The still water shimmered, a glow fading and expanding as if it were the pulse of the jungle’s heartbeat.

A beam of light broke through the canopy and Vrix stopped in it, like a cat sunning itself by a window. He stretched his arms out, sighing deeply as his eyes fluttered shut.

“Oh, it feels so exquisite.”

Thase smiled, one that seemed almost genuine.

So, they really did gain energy from the sun as humans consumed food for sustenance. It warmed Giselle’s heart, the simple way Vrix felt the pleasure of the light.

Her heart which shouldn’t be warming regarding anything these two did. Even if being with them calmed her in some strange way, she needed to stay focused.

“Would you like to swim?” Thase whispered in her ear, jolting her to attention.

She glanced at him, brows furrowed.

“Is it… safe?”

The glowing pool was beautiful, of course, but who knows what lurked under the sheen of glitter?

“It is just water,” he said, giving her a wicked smile. “The luminosity is from phosphorescent life forms that coat the pool’s surface. They will not hurt you.”

Before she could answer, he pulled her towards the water’s edge, the mossy ground soft under her bare feet. Thase stepped into the pool, turning around and pulling her into his arms with one swift movement.

Giselle instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist, her arms circled around his neck, the firm grip at her ass reminding her of the cockpit. Her body responded as if on cue, embers flaring between her thighs as her feet dipped into the cool water.

But Thase made no move to do anything, just observed her with intense scrutiny as he walked them farther into the pool.

There was a prick of discomfort, clawed hands clutching too hard into her tender flesh, and she winced. The pain wasn’t as… unwelcome as she’d expected, but it still made her pulse quicken with fear.